I really want to make some of my OC's come to life, but I'm not sure of the standard on this... Is it a...bad thing to make costumes of my own characters? Should I type up a background paragraph to hand out to people who inquire, or what? I just don't want people to think I'm a lazy cosplayer who didn't want the challenge of cos'ing a REAL character or something...

PinkSelphie

01-19-2010, 01:53 PM

If you want to cosplay your original character, just go for it. It shouldn't be something that bothers other people. If someone asks you who you are, just say that you're an original character named _____ or something of the like. :3

Mangochutney

01-19-2010, 02:10 PM

Of course you can do it. You won't be recognized, you will be photographed far less often unless your costume is awesome on its own merits, and there won't be any gatherings devoted to people cosplaying from the same source as you. If these things are important to you, you will be happier in a costume from an established source. Otherwise, do your own thing.

Do not, however, talk about the character--at all--to anyone--unless specifically asked. When in doubt, answer "I'm dressed as an original character". I'm quite serious, not even so much as a name unless you're asked. Offer the information that is asked for, and no more. You may be proud of the costume and the character but you're working against a long-established tradition of clueless people boring the asses off of people who were only trying to make polite conversation. Don't be like them.

Wataru

01-19-2010, 06:20 PM

Ooh. o-o Thank you for the advice, Mango. I will make sure not to do that. D:

magicalgirlj

01-21-2010, 06:56 PM

hey I havee been wanting to cosplay my D. Gray Man OC

Akemi Idane

01-21-2010, 07:32 PM

I'm doing the same thing (however, it's not an original character based off another series, which seems to be what most people think of when one says OC).
Just don't expect to be recognized too much - obviously, it's your chracter, and unless you published the story where he/she/it is from or something, nobody's been invading your brain recently. (Except for those pesky rabbits.)
I also agree with Mango one hundred and ten percent.

QuiteVile

01-21-2010, 09:49 PM

Of course you can do it. You won't be recognized, you will be photographed far less often unless your costume is awesome on its own merits, and there won't be any gatherings devoted to people cosplaying from the same source as you. If these things are important to you, you will be happier in a costume from an established source. Otherwise, do your own thing.

Do not, however, talk about the character--at all--to anyone--unless specifically asked. When in doubt, answer "I'm dressed as an original character". I'm quite serious, not even so much as a name unless you're asked. Offer the information that is asked for, and no more. You may be proud of the costume and the character but you're working against a long-established tradition of clueless people boring the asses off of people who were only trying to make polite conversation. Don't be like them.

Oh God, this.

Every year the 'Digimon King' shows up at Anime North, and we all just…
It's really bad.
You can see him here (http://www.youtube.com/user/jasonagnew#p/search/9/123txdciFjw), at 2:40. I can't find the original video of it.
Oh my.

sephygoth

01-29-2010, 08:07 AM

Do not, however, talk about the character--at all--to anyone--unless specifically asked. When in doubt, answer "I'm dressed as an original character". I'm quite serious, not even so much as a name unless you're asked. Offer the information that is asked for, and no more. You may be proud of the costume and the character but you're working against a long-established tradition of clueless people boring the asses off of people who were only trying to make polite conversation. Don't be like them.
manchut must be stalking me at cons! this is all I can preach with my OC. On other hand, oc stands for original character for my projects, not cosplay since it's not a cosplay if there's no root fandom....I've been doing this hobby too long, preaching this crap.
But being mute in my characters helps, they're usually crossplays anyway. So I don't blabber about my character AT ALL.
I've turned down many a pics in oc gear, mostly to keep the originalness going.

But there is no shame in inventing, and its infinite. You can change one thing on a known character, and be a different character(but try not to do that, its kinda lame, and ppl will tell you).

costuming and cosplay arent always the same thing. If you want to invent new things, you don't need a new term like cosplay to direct you, you already have fandom and influences, go on that.
*loves OC's*

That guy y'know

01-29-2010, 10:49 AM

:rolleyes:Oh God, this.

Every year the 'Digimon King' shows up at Anime North, and we all just…
It's really bad.
You can see him here (http://www.youtube.com/user/jasonagnew#p/search/9/123txdciFjw), at 2:40. I can't find the original video of it.
Oh my.

Hey! Who doesn't know the digimon king!:rolleyes:

RinoaShadow

02-03-2010, 05:14 AM

im gonna make my own original character costume too =) sounds like fun =) although the one thing that bothers me is her dress length @_@ so short. better fix that. xD

good luck making your own character costume, wataru! =)

ShinobiXikyu

02-03-2010, 10:22 PM

I'm making my own OC cosplay/character, but it's for a historical costume, not based off of an existing series. But yeah, my explanation'll be the same, "I'm an original character I made up, and so is my boyfriend." It'll be on Halloween, so nobody ever knows who I'm dressed as then, anyways.:P (Plus, people in crappy storebought generic costumes seem hella nervous to approach someone with a fancy hand-made costume that kicks ass on Halloween.:P)

Yunalicia

02-04-2010, 12:44 AM

Oh God, this.

Every year the 'Digimon King' shows up at Anime North, and we all just…
It's really bad.
You can see him here (http://www.youtube.com/user/jasonagnew#p/search/9/123txdciFjw), at 2:40. I can't find the original video of it.
Oh my.

I think I remember seeing him on an AN segment of YTV one year and was like srsly dude?

Anyway, I think OC's are fine as long as you don't pull a whole bunch of things out of your closet and say "hey, i'm ghetto booty Sora" or "hey, I'm Misa cause i wear black frilly things"

Put effort into it and make sure it's presentable because you will be criticized harder at first glance.

saiyamanmasenko

02-04-2010, 04:00 AM

Of course you can do it. You won't be recognized, you will be photographed far less often unless your costume is awesome on its own merits, and there won't be any gatherings devoted to people cosplaying from the same source as you. If these things are important to you, you will be happier in a costume from an established source. Otherwise, do your own thing.

Do not, however, talk about the character--at all--to anyone--unless specifically asked. When in doubt, answer "I'm dressed as an original character". I'm quite serious, not even so much as a name unless you're asked. Offer the information that is asked for, and no more. You may be proud of the costume and the character but you're working against a long-established tradition of clueless people boring the asses off of people who were only trying to make polite conversation. Don't be like them.

blunt, but to the point. I totally agree. And don't be surprised if you get a million "Who are you supposed to be" questions and looks, especially if it looks similar to an established character. Just happens.

cobracon

02-04-2010, 08:13 PM

hey thanks for posting this thread ima jump at the bottom im going to A & G ohio convention me and a buddy of mine are probally going to go as akatsuki memebers but we wanna be original and go as oc's we are looking for anyone who wants to go as a oc in akatsuki i think it would be fun to see a whole new group then the regs u would see etc itachi kisame blah blah which are good dont get me wrong but just to add a artistic feel for it you can create your name and all but if you are intesreted reach me at duranpugh@yahoo.com thanks for your time and letting me post